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To be ownest I was thinking about removing my side mirrors and wiper blades. Usually tires are not a big issue for a short burst run. A well balanced tire will stay stable at 60 mph and 200mph. I am more concerned about the wheels and tire size.

Suspension is not a big issue. It will just get 500lb more load. It should be able to handle it on a smooth surface.

My concern is how the 330ci handles at 170mph when I move the steering wheel 1/32 to avoid a bird ...

I have a 5sp tranny and an unlocked computer so at 6500rpm I should hit 160-170mph.

I have a 5sp tranny and an unlocked computer so at 6500rpm I should hit 160-170mph.

160mph is about the height of it with stock gearing and 6500-6600 redline. Your car will be fine at that speed as long as your tires are in good shape and inflated correctly. Mine felt fine at that speed and I only had sways at the time as far as suspension goes. Just make sure you give yourself room to slow down as it takes a WAY longer distance than from 60 or 100. Good luck.

My concern is how the 330ci handles at 170mph when I move the steering wheel 1/32 to avoid a bird ...

While I am fully aware of the damage that can be done if you hit a bird going 170 mph I don't think you should be attempting this if you're thinking about turning the wheel often at these speeds. Jerk the wheel to avoid a bird at 170 and we will be reading about you in some memorial thread.

while i am fully aware of the damage that can be done if you hit a bird going 170 mph i don't think you should be attempting this if you're thinking about turning the wheel often at these speeds. Jerk the wheel to avoid a bird at 170 and we will be reading about you in some memorial thread.

Are you having your wheels balanced for higher speeds? Hitting resonence at 160mph would be terrible for your lugs and hubs.

While you're correct about the consequences of an imbalance, there's no such thing as balancing for a certain speed. A wheel/tire is either balanced or it's not, regardless of the speed. It's just a matter of having it done correctly and meticulously.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SDKmann

While I am fully aware of the damage that can be done if you hit a bird going 170 mph I don't think you should be attempting this if you're thinking about turning the wheel often at these speeds. Jerk the wheel to avoid a bird at 170 and we will be reading about you in some memorial thread.

Which part of him specifically stating he'd move the wheel 1/32 (3%) made you think he'd "jerk" the wheel?

If he's seriously considering this, his question is valid. He's looking for feedback from anyone else that's gone that fast in this body style. Did the car float? Did one end get light before the other? Did it feel darty and require a lot of input to keep it mostly straight?

Given that he's asking about the effects of such a small wheel movement makes it seem like he's acutely aware of the dangers involved in these speeds.

A money shift and a blown tire at the same time would add insult to injury. I guess that would be the blown money shift.

I do have some high speed experience at Bonneville. I took a Ford Freestar out there and it was stable as can be. It maxed out at 105 mph and became really boring really fast. Then I decided to do some donuts. Just so you know, the salt flats have an amazing amount of grip and you can get a mini-van up on 2 wheels. In addition to that, I was completely lost and it took me about 30 minutes to find my way back. None of these problems had anything to do with that we (there were 5 of us in the van) were going from Sears Point to Miller (between two Grand-Am races) and we were.... let's say, having a good time doing some 12oz curls.

A money shift and a blown tire at the same time would add insult to injury. I guess that would be the blown money shift.

I do have some high speed experience at Bonneville. I took a Ford Freestar out there and it was stable as can be. It maxed out at 105 mph and became really boring really fast. Then I decided to do some donuts. Just so you know, the salt flats have an amazing amount of grip and you can get a mini-van up on 2 wheels. In addition to that, I was completely lost and it took me about 30 minutes to find my way back. None of these problems had anything to do with that we (there were 5 of us in the van) were going from Sears Point to Miller (between two Grand-Am races) and we were.... let's say, having a good time doing some 12oz curls.

You should see how a minivan handles with 2 garbage can lids under the rear wheels, the parking brake on, and 13 people inside. A friendly reminder why crew chiefs always tell the newbies not to give the "drivers" the keys to rental vehicles.

A money shift and a blown tire at the same time would add insult to injury. I guess that would be the blown money shift.

I do have some high speed experience at Bonneville. I took a Ford Freestar out there and it was stable as can be. It maxed out at 105 mph and became really boring really fast. Then I decided to do some donuts. Just so you know, the salt flats have an amazing amount of grip and you can get a mini-van up on 2 wheels. In addition to that, I was completely lost and it took me about 30 minutes to find my way back. None of these problems had anything to do with that we (there were 5 of us in the van) were going from Sears Point to Miller (between two Grand-Am races) and we were.... let's say, having a good time doing some 12oz curls.

Quote:

Originally Posted by PEI330Ci

You should see how a minivan handles with 2 garbage can lids under the rear wheels, the parking brake on, and 13 people inside. A friendly reminder why crew chiefs always tell the newbies not to give the "drivers" the keys to rental vehicles.

Which part of him specifically stating he'd move the wheel 1/32 (3%) made you think he'd "jerk" the wheel?

If he's seriously considering this, his question is valid. He's looking for feedback from anyone else that's gone that fast in this body style. Did the car float? Did one end get light before the other? Did it feel darty and require a lot of input to keep it mostly straight?

Given that he's asking about the effects of such a small wheel movement makes it seem like he's acutely aware of the dangers involved in these speeds.

Woah, easy there killer, lets calm down a bit. I never said his question wasn't valid. But lets make sure we are quoting him correctly before you go off on me again-

Quote:

My concern is how the 330ci handles at 170mph when I move the steering wheel 1/32 to avoid a bird ...

Its the "avoid a bird" part that prompted my post. Moving the wheel 1/32 at 170 mph would not be enough to avoid a bird, the course correction would have to be much more significant, the results of which would not be good.

Woah, easy there killer, lets calm down a bit. I never said his question wasn't valid. But lets make sure we are quoting him correctly before you go off on me again-

Its the "avoid a bird" part that prompted my post. Moving the wheel 1/32 at 170 mph would not be enough to avoid a bird, the course correction would have to be much more significant, the results of which would not be good.

I'm perfectly calm, and didn't mean for you to think I was going off on you. Going off on you would have involved a completely different tone.

I think you're making a lot of assumptions about how far away he is when he sees this hypothetical bird and whether it's standing still or moving when you say that moving the wheel 1/32 won't be enough to avoid it. If the bird or any other object is static and big enough to be visible from some distance away, a gentle and minor turn of the wheel may in fact be plenty to let the car move laterally to avoid the object. The yaw rate might be imperceptible, just enough to let the car wander toward one side of the centerline or the other before coming back on center on the other side of the object. He's doing this on a runway, which I'm assuming is pretty wide, so he's got some room to move around a bit.

None of that is relevant, though. My original point is that he never said anything about jerking the wheel, and the very fact that he's asking the question means he's aware that there's a limit to what he can and can't do as far as control inputs. So warning him about jerking the wheel would seem to serve little purpose.

What he wants to know is if anyone has any experience at 170ish in this body style so they can give him specific info about how the car will feel/handle/ride.

I'm perfectly calm, and didn't mean for you to think I was going off on you. Going off on you would have involved a completely different tone.

I think you're making a lot of assumptions about how far away he is when he sees this hypothetical bird and whether it's standing still or moving when you say that moving the wheel 1/32 won't be enough to avoid it. If the bird or any other object is static and big enough to be visible from some distance away, a gentle and minor turn of the wheel may in fact be plenty to let the car move laterally to avoid the object. The yaw rate might be imperceptible, just enough to let the car wander toward one side of the centerline or the other before coming back on center on the other side of the object. He's doing this on a runway, which I'm assuming is pretty wide, so he's got some room to move around a bit.

None of that is relevant, though. My original point is that he never said anything about jerking the wheel, and the very fact that he's asking the question means he's aware that there's a limit to what he can and can't do as far as control inputs. So warning him about jerking the wheel would seem to serve little purpose.

What he wants to know is if anyone has any experience at 170ish in this body style so they can give him specific info about how the car will feel/handle/ride.